Jakob sciiweizeb



(No Model.) n l J. SCHWEIZER.

i Y 'APPARATUS PQR PRODUGING GOMPRBSSBDAIR.

No..V 292,953.

Patented Peb. 5,1884.

WITNESSES faam@ N4 PETERS. Pinvio-Linwgnplwrf washingtun. n.0,

of the compression-chamber and in direct oon- UNITED STAT-ns 'PATENT OFFICE .muon SCHWEIZER, or soLnUnn, swIrznnIn-Ixmn.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COMPRESSED AIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 292,957, dated February 5, 18CY 4. Application led March 5, 53. (No model.) Intened in France January'll, IPSB, N0.153,CGS.

`citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, and a resident oi' Soleure, Switzerland, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Gompressing Aeriform Fluids, of which the following is a specication.

.i Myinvention relates to an apparatus for compressing aeriform fluids by the explosion of a mixture of gas and air at theupper part tact with the iiuids to be compressed, no piston being interposed. I introduce infiammablegas to the upper part of a closed chamber, where it mixes with atmospheric air in suffi-` cient quantity to produce an explosive detonating mixture, and then igniting this miXture,wherebythe aeriform fluids in the lower part of the closed chamber will be compressed by the expansion produced by the explosion of' the supernatant mixturebf air and gas.

The closed chamber communicates with the reservoir for the compressed aeriform fluids by means of a valved aperture,the valve of which opens into the reservoir. Consequently when the -aeriform iiuids in the closed chamber are compressed by the explosion they expand into the reservoir. -The explosions are successive, and the reservoir is thus kept supi plied from the explosioircliainbei. In order to prevent the pressure in the reservoir from rising vabove a predetermined point, means are provided whereby, when thepressure rises above the said` point the admission of gas to the explosionchamber is cut oi automatically. In order to bring about successive eX- plosions some suitable mechanism is employed for cutting oif the gas-supply intermittently and for effecting the ignition at the proper time. For this purpose I may employ an` engine similar to that described and claimed in a pending application of mine, and .whichI have shown herein. n ,V i

In the drawings, which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure l is a side elevation, the engine-cylinder being in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional plamzthe explosion-chamber being in seotionon line 22 in Fig. l. Fig. 3is a` vertical section on line 3 3 in Fig. 2.

'A represents the explosion-chamber, which is hereinV shown as a cylinder mounted on a reservoir, B, for the compressed iiuids. In the partition which separates the chamber A "from the reservoir I3, is an aperture,C, which opens downward into the reservoir and is upheld normally by aspring.

I) is a pipe, which admits inainmable gas to the upper part of the chamber A, its upper end being perforated, to permit the gas to escape and diffuse itseli1 throughout the upper part ofthe chamber. On the side ofthe chamber A-is mounted a seat, H, for the cut-oft' valves E and F. This seat has a gas-passage, e, which communicates at its inner end with the pipe D and at its outer end with thclgassupply pipe (l. The horizontal slide-valve lt 4has a cross-port, b, which may be brought in to and moved out of coincidence with the passagel e by suitable mechanism that `will be hereinafterv described, so as to admit-the in- Aflammable gas to chamber A intermittently.4 The vertical slide-valve F has a port, c, and is in general constructed the same as valve E. This valve rests on a packed piston, F', in a provision on the reservoir B, and is arranged under a weighted lever, G, fulcrumed on the cylinder A. Then the pressure in the reservoir- B increases beyond the point desired, the` compressed fluid acts upon the piston F to raise it, and thus move the valve .F high enough to close thegaspassage e. This of course stops the explosions, and this stoppage The desired tension in the reservoir is attained byshifting the weight in or out on lever G.

Iwill now describe the mechanism which I have shown, andgwhich I prefer to employ for effecting the successive explosions qin the chamber A. This engineI do not claim spccically herein. Y

Mounted on the reservoir B is asuitakblebed` plate or frame, G, upon which is fixed the engine-cylinder K. The piston K in this cylinder is coupled, by a piston-rod, p, and connecting-rod Z, with a crank in the main shaft O. On this shaft is mounteda ily-wheel, V, and a crank, Z. The latter crank is coupslide-valve, E. Thus it will be scenthatfreis closed or controlled by a valve, O, whichV led bya connecting-rod, k, toa horizontal ciprocation of the piston `Kyproduces rota- V will continue until the pressure in the reseia` voir falls and the passage e is again opened.

tion of the shaft O and reciprocation of the valve E. The engine belongs to the class4 known as single-acting,77 and the piston receives its impulses from the compressed fluids in the lower part of chamber A through a pipe, q. This pipe taps a dome, O', in the top of the engine-cylinder, and avalve, q', in said dome acts as a check-valve to prevent any reflex action of the compressed fluids.

I will now digress to describe the igniting4 mechanism.

Fromthe gas-passage e, suitable pipes lead gas to two gas-jets, g and g. The latter jet is v merely a relightingj et, Yand its functions will be described hereinafter. The jet g is directed toward an aperture, I, lin the upper part of the chamber A, which aperture is closed by a pendent clack-valve, J which opens inwardly.

I will -now describe the operation whereby the fluids are compressed and stored in the reservoir B.

The jet g 'is lighted, and we will suppose that the piston K stands at the upper end of the cylinder K, and the valve E stands in a position to leave the gas-passage e open. The gas enters through D and mixes with the air in the upper part of the chamber A to an extent sufficient to form an explosive compound. The fly-wheel V is now rotated a little way by hand, which has the effect to close the gaspassage c by the movement of the valve E; but it also has the effect, by the descent of the piston K, to produce a partial vacuum in the chamber A, whereby air is drawn in through the aperture I. This draws or sucks in the flame of the jet g, which instantly ignites the i explosive mixture of air and gas in the upper part of A. This explosion suddenly closes the valve J and compresses the aeriform fluid in the lower part of chamber A; but as the valve C opens downward the compressed fluid depresses this valve and passes into reservoir B until an equilibrium is established between A and B. When the explosion takes place, however, a portion of .the compressed-fluid in the lower part of A, acts through pipe q to force the piston l down, and this, with sufficient impetus to cause the crank to which it is coupled to pass the center, aided by the ilywheel V, and to cause the piston to again rise to the top of the cylinder. In order toallow the piston to rise, a suitable slide-valve, B, -as shown iu Fig. 2, is provided to control the exhaust. This valve may be actuated by an eccentric on the shaft O. Thus each explosion causes one revolution of the shaft O, and of course the intermittent successive explosions will keep the shaft revolving. This constant motion of the engine will admit intermittent supplies of inflammable gas and air to chamber A, and by the movement of the piston produce successive ignitions. When the valve J is suddenly closed bythe explosionthe jet g is apt to be extinguished; therefore I supply the relighting-jet g, arranged as shown in Fig. 3.

The compressed aeriform iluids in the res ervoir B may be employed for any purpose, and may be supplied through the pipe h. The

gas supplied to the jets may be regulated by' cocks f f.

In lieu of the engine described for actuating the valve E, some other form of engine may be employed; and, in order to effect the rarefaction in the chamber A, whereby air to form the explosive mixture is drawn in, and also llame from jet g to ignite the gases, a small suction-pump or ordinary air-exhausting device may be employed. the compressed fluids in B. I do not deem it necessary to described every form of engine that may be employed for this purpose. As the explosion-chamber A is at the beginning filled with atmospheric air, it will be obvious that the first explosion will force the air in the lower partof the chamber down into B;

lbut after the first explosion and as long as these are kept up continously the lower part of chamber A will contain aeriform fluids composed mainly of burned gases, 7 so called, or products of combustion-that is to say, mainly nitrogen and carbonie acid. The air enters A only at I, and mixes at once with the inflammable gas admitted through pipe D, thus forming an explosive mixture which is at once ignited. p

I am aware that it is not new to compress air by the explosion of gas; but so far as I am aware the aircompressed has always beeny separated from the explosive gases by a piston, and the products of combustion are got rid of by special means. I do not employ any-pis ton, but simply effect the explosion in the upper part of a closed vessel containing aeriform fluids. Thus the products of combustion are themselves compressedand utilized.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In an apparatus for compressing aeriform fluids, the combination of the explosionchamber, provided with a valved aperture to admit air at its upper part, the gas-supply pipe, arranged as shown, and the valve aperture opening into the reservoir for the compressed fluids, ythe said reservoir provided with the piston F, the valve F, the weightedle-l ver G,the valve E,the j et g, and means, substantially as described, for actuating the valve E and for causing the flame g to enter the explosion-chamber and ignite the gases therein,

all arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in an apparatus for compressing aeriform fluids, of the upright.

These may be run by IOO IIO

tially as described, for regulating the influx of In Witness whereof I have hereunto Signed gas and air to the explosion-chamber, Where` my name in the presence of two subscribing by Jnhe explosion iu the upper part of oham- Witnesses.

ber A effects the compression of the fluids in JAKOB SGI'W'EIZER.v 5 the lower part of said chamber `Without the l Vtnesses:

intermediation of the piston, substantially as RQBT. M. HOOPER, set forth. l AMAND RITTER. 

